Apparatus for bending the rolls of a rolling mill and like device



J. W. O'BRIEN Sept. 1, 1970 APPARATUS FOR BENDING THE ROLLS OF A ROLLINGMILL AND LIKE DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1966 m Ill llu \lllll A W n INVENTORJEREMIAH w. O'BRIEN TTORNEY United States Patent 3,526,118 APPARATUS FORBENDING THE ROLLS OF A ROLLING MILL AND LIKE DEVICE Jeremiah WagnerOBrien, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to United Engineering and FoundryCompany, Pittsburgh,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 596,139Int. Cl. 1121b 13/14 US. Cl. 72-243 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present invention relates to a rolling mill and, more particularly,to an improved arrangement for applying a controlled crown to one ormore of the rolls of the rolling mill.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In order to meet the requirements of muchcloser gauge tolerances, recent mills have been provided with some formof crown control for the rolls, whereby the portions of the rolls thatengage the material and thereby form the contour or shape is controlledso as to compensate for the inherent deflection of the rolls in adirection away from the material being rolled. Primarily, the shapecharacteristic being discussed deals with the cross-sectional dimensionof the material. In addition to nonuniformity in cross-sectionalthickness being caused by the deflections of the rolls, it also iscaused by thermal expansion thereof.

One present form of crown control involves applying a bending moment tothe ends of the rolls in a direction to deflect the roll so as tocompensate for the normal deflection thereof which takes-place duringrolling, The roll bending force in this arrangement has been generatedby providing piston cylinder assemblies connected to the ends of therolls, and either consist of a common cylinder assembly arranged betweenthe opposed journals of the rolls and carried by the rolls themselves,or of individual cylinder assemblies for each roll and carried bythe'housings of the mill. In each of these arrangements, at least thescrew of the mill, and in the second case, the housings, also are causedto receive the reaction forces of the roll bending piston cylinderassemblies. Such an arrangement is highly objectionable since it imposesan elastic change or stretch on the mill components subjected to thereaction forces, thereby creating the need of employing stiflercomponents and the need for additional means to compensate for thechange in the longitudinal, gauge, such as automatic gauge controlequipment.

. be present invention relates to an improved-mill construction whereinthe crown control equipment is so constructed and arranged so as not toimpose any forces on the mill housings or screws or other millcomponents that would contribute to elastic deformation of the mill.

More particularly, the present invention provides in a rolling mill aforce exerting means for controlling the crown of one or more rollsthereof which force exerting means is completely free from the housingsand mill screws. a

It is another feature of the present invention to provide in a rollingmill a longitudinally extending beam, arranged between the main rollbearings and housings, auxiliary bearings mounted outward of the mainhearings on the rolls to be crown controlled, said auxiliary bearingsadapted to receive piston cylinder assemblies which extend between theauxiliary bearings and the beam and upon operation impose a deflectionupon the roll wherein the reaction thereof is taken solely by the beamand not by the mill or screws of the mill.

In still another form of the present invention there is provided in arolling mill having an opposed pair of housings and including means foradjusting one of the rolls of the mill which consists of at least tworolls, said rolls having main bearings at their opposite ends, auxiliarybearings mounted outward of the main bearings, a beam arranged betweenthe main bearings and the housings of each roll and extending between atleast the auxiliary bearings thereof, each auxiliary bearing including acasing, said casings having openings into which portions of said beamsextend, force exerting means mounted in each casing adapted to engagesaid beams and said casings and to impose upon the associated rollsthrough displacement of the casings a controlled deflection, and whereinsaid beams are designed to receive the reaction forces of said pistoncylinder assemblies in a manner to free said roll adjusting means andhousings of said reaction forces.

These objects and advantages, as well as others, will be more readilyunderstood when the following specification is read in connection withthe accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a 4- high rollingmill incorporating the features of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken of certain elements illustratedin FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a partial outside end view of the upper backup roll of FIG. 1.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is provided two spaced-apartvertically arranged identical housings 10 and 11 which are connectedtogether at their upper and lower portions by separators 12 and 13,respectively, and which are provided with identical windows 14 and 15.The windows are adapted to receive the bearing chock assemblies of apair of Work rolls 16 and 17 and backup rolls 18 and 19. The work rolls16 and 17 have bearing chock assemblies 21 and 22, whereas the backuprolls 18 and 19 are rotatably received in main bearing chock assemblies23 and 24.

The rolling mill also includes the usual roll adjusting screws 25 and 26which, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are received in the upper portion ofthe housings 10 and 11 having their lower ends extending into thewindows 14 and 15. The mill also includes a roll balance piston cylinderassembly 27 which is mounted in the separator 12 and extends downwardly,having hooked like members 28 which engage with the main bearing chockassemblies 23 of the upper backup roll 18 so as to positively urge thechocks of the upper backup roll 18 in a direction towards the screws 25and 26.

Turning now more specifically to the features of the present invention,it will be observed with respect to the upper backup roll 18 thatbetween the screws 25 and 26 and the main bearing chock assemblies 23 ofthe backup roll 18 there is provided a horizontally arranged beam 31,which in FIG. 2 is shown to take the form of an H. Outward of thehousings 10 and 11 the beam 31 changes from H shape into a solid block,in which at its extreme opposite ends and the upper surfaces thereof, itis provided with recesses 32. At this point reference will be again madeto the backup roll 18 in which connection it will be observed in FIG. 1that outward of the main bearing chock assemblies 23 there is providedauxiilary hearing chock assemblies 33, the auxiliary bearing chock.assemblies being connected to the main bearing chock assemblies bylinks 35 which hold the auxiliary bearing chock assemblies againstactual displacement thereof relative to the roll 18.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main bearing chock assemblies 33 include casings36 which surround the journals of the backup roll 18 and are providedwith openings 37, extending axially of the roll axis. Through theopenings 37 extend the end portions of the beam 31. It will he noted inFIG. 1 that the casing is arranged to extend above the recesses 32 ofthe beam 31, in which connection there is provided piston cylinderassemblies 38 and 39, the cylinders of which are carried in' therecesses by the beam, whereas the pistons extend upwardly and engage theadjacent surfaces of the casings 36. In this construction uponapplication of pressure to the cylinders, the casings are displaced inan upward direction thereby causing the roll 18 to deflect in adirection to resist the normal defiection of the roll under the rollingloads.

A similar construction is provided for the lower backup roll 19. In thiscase between the housings and L1 and the main bearing chock assemblies24 of the backup roll 19, there is provided a horizontally extendingbeam 41 which includes, as in the case of the upper beam-31, out wardextending portion which terminate into block-shaped end portions. Thelower surfaces of the block-shaped portions of the beam 41 are providedwith recesses 42 into which there are received the piston cylinderassemblies 43 and 44, the pistons of which are adapted to extenddownwardly of the housings 10 and 11. The backup rolls 19 is alsoprovided with auxiliary bearing chock assemblies 45 which are connectedto the main bearing chock assemblies 24 by links 46 which prevent actualdisplacement of the main bearing chock assemblies 45 relative to theroll 19. The auxiliary bearing chock assemblies 45 of the lower backuproll 19 comprises, as in the case of the upper auxiliary bearing chockassemblies, casings 47 which at their lower ends are provided withopenings into which extend the block-shaped end portions of the beam 41.The pistons of the piston cylinder assemblies 43 are adapted to engagethe casings 47 and the reaction force is taken by the beam 41, in whichon operation a bending force is imposed on the backup roll 19 in adirection to resist the normal deflections of the rolls under therolling pressure.

It will be appreciated from the above that on the ap plication of thebending loads to the backup rolls 18 and 19 by the piston cylinderassemblies 38 and 39, 43 and 44, respectively, the reaction forcesthereof are not taken by the mill screws 25 and 26 nor of the housings10 and 11. Instead the beams 31 and 41 themselves take the reactionforces. Thus, it can be seen that each assembly of a beam, pistoncylinder assemblies and casings constitute a selfcontained unitand theforces developed by the roll bending means are self-contained within thestructure itself. It should also be emphasized that in controlling thecontour or crown of the backup rolls 18 and 19 which are substantiallymore rigid than the limber work rolls 16 and 17, the contour of the workrolls will follow the controlled contour of the backup rolls. As aresult, the pass opening between the work rolls 16 and 17 which controlthe contour of the strip can be controlled.

While the present invention has been explained with respect to a rollingmill and, particularly, a 4-high rolling mill, it will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art that the invention can be equally utilized inother forms of rolling mills, say for example, a 2-high mill, and inother forms of processing apparatuses, such as, paper and rubbercalenders.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I haveexplained the principle and operation of my invention and haveillustrated and described what I consider to represent the bestembodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that withinthe scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practicedotherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rolling mill comprising a pair of housings,

a window in each of said housings for receiving a pair of rolls,

main bearings mounted on the ends of said rolls received in said windowsand supported by said housings,

means carried by said housings for adjusting one of said rolls in saidwindows,

auxiliary bearings mounted on the ends of at least one ofthe said rollsoutward of said main bearings, each of said auxiliary bearings includinga casing,

said casings having openings,

a longitudinal extending beam arranged in said windows extendingparallel to the axes of said rolls arranged between said main bearingsof one of said rolls and said housings and having extensions at itsopposite ends that pass into said openings of said casings, and

separate force generating means carried by the extensions of said beamadapted to apply a force to the auxiliary bearings, the constructionbeing such that upon operation of saidforce generating means bendingmoments are created in said one roll which cause said roll to deflectand its effective crowns varied, the reaction forces being taken solelyby said beam and not transferred to the housings.

2. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 including a beam for eachroll, wherein said roll adjusting means is adapted to move one of saidbeams in said window with said one roll, and

auxiliary bearings are mounted on the ends of both rolls.

3. In a rolling mill according to claim 2, wherein said rolls form aroll gap,

said auxiliary bearings having openings in the side thereof opposite theroll gap into which said beams extend,

said force generating means carried by said beams and arranged to engagesaid auxiliary bearings to displace them in a direction away from theroll gap.

4. In a rolling mill according to claim 2, including a backup roll foreach roll,

main bearings mounted on said backup rolls inward of the ends andsupported by said housing,

said auxiliary bearings mounted on the outer ends of said backup rolls,and said beams arranged between said main bearings and said housing.

5. In a rolling mill according to claim 2,

in which adjustable screws are mounted in said housing for adjusting oneof said rolls,

said beam associated with said adjustable roll having a portioninterposed between and contacted by said main bearings and said screws.

6. In a rolling mill according to claim 2,

in which said auxiliary bearings comprise integral casrngs,

an opening in each casing onto which one of the ends of the beamsextend,

said force generating means comprising piston cylinder assemblies,

recesses in said beams for receiving said piston cylinder assemblies,the construction being such that the piston cylinder assemblies arearranged between said beams and said casings of said auxiliary bearings.

7. In a rolling mill according to claim 2,

including means for pivotally securing said auxiliary bearings to theadjacent main bearings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 381,746 4/1888 Wright 722432,897,538 8/1959 Shapiro et a1. 72245 3,364,715 1/ 196 8 OBrien 722413,373,588 3/1968 Stone 72237 3,442,109 5/1969 Diolot 72240 LOWELL A.LARSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 72237

